Hermione's Problem
by parpo103
Summary: A short story about Hermione's little problem during the sixth year. Harry and Hermione pairing


Discaimer:

I do not, I repeat, DO NOT own Harry Potter. Those rights belong to J.K. Rowling. But I will use her characters for my own little pleasures and to write this story. This story takes place during the sixth year, but I ignore most of the events and relationships from the original story to write this one instead. This story is OOC and filled with fluffy pink clouds. Basically it is a plain romance story.

All comments are welcome.

Happy reading

* * *

**Hermione's problem**

Hermione Granger was sitting on the couch in the Gryffindor common room, reading one of her books. It was where she was usually after everyone had gone to bed. She relished in the alone-time, enjoying every second of it, half-lying on the comfy couch wearing only a large T-shirt and knee-length short she wore to bed. At least that was how it usually was. Now, she was not enjoying her time alone. She could not concentrate on the book, her mind wandering away from the task at hand. It kept wandering to the same thing it had done since summer. To Harry Potter, her best mate, the boy who lived, the chosen one, and… the guy she fancied. She had tried to ignore it, tried to focus on the silly crush she had had on Ron. But even seeing him together with Lavender hadn't made her even remotely angry. Her attention had been focused on Harry, and on Harry alone. With a groan, she threw her head back. And saw Harry standing there, grinning. Her eyes widened.

"Having problems with that tome of yours?" he asked, then walked around the couch and sat down on the other end of it, where Hermione's feet had been just a second ago. She put her feet onto his lap, resuming the position she had before.

"N..No," she answered, her voice a bit uncertain. Harry wasn't supposed to be there. She was supposed to be alone, trying not to fantasize about him. She tried not to blush when one of those fantasies popped into her head unannounced. "Why are you up anyway?" she asked, trying to force herself to think about something else. But Merlin's beard, he did look good. His untidy black hair, his smile that could melt any heart, the oh so wonderful body that she could see protruding out from beneath the black tank-top and slacks he wore.

"Couldn't sleep. Ron's snoring so loudly he could wake the dead." They burst out giggling. It was true, Ron snored, and loudly too. It was a surprise that it didn't echo through the entire castle at night. "What're you reading?" he asked her, as he took one of her feet, the right one, in his hand softly.

Hermione almost jumped off the couch when he touched her foot, but forced herself to keep still. No need to let him know that something was troubling her. "Knife of Dreams, by Robert Jordan." She almost moaned aloud when he began to massage her foot. It felt SOOOO GOOOOOD. She looked down into the book, hiding her flushed face.

"Wanna read aloud to me?"

"Alright…" her voice was low, almost a whisper. She didn't know what else to do. The request was a bit odd since it was so late, but he sometimes asked her to do just that when they were alone. Maybe it was a way for him to just be close to someone, having someone read to him, something he didn't have as a child. And she began to read the book to Harry. Every now and then, she would throw a look at him, and he would just sit there and watch her with his deep blue eyes. He kept massaging her feet, first the right and then switching to the left. His strong fingers kept a steady and soft pressure on them, kneading them slowly. She got herself purring once, but she shook herself out of it before Harry noticed. It just wouldn't do, if he noticed it. There was no way that he even felt anything remotely the same as she did.

After a while she noticed that his massage had ceased. She stopped reading and looked up at him. There he was, sitting on the couch with her feet in his lap, asleep. He looked so peaceful, so handsome, so innocent. She loved that about him, his innocence that he had managed to keep despite all he's been through. Slowly, very carefully, she moved her feet from his lap and then stood up. She put the book aside and looked around. There, on an armchair, she saw a blanket. She walked over to the chair and picked it up and then walked back to where Harry was sitting. She put the blanket over him, tucking him in gently. Then, in a sudden impulse, she bent down and gave his lips a soft and gentle kiss. Blushing, she quickly turned and went to bed. Before entering the girl's dorm she turned and whispered "Good night Harry."

During breakfast the next day, Hermione kept quiet and focused on eating her food, never giving harry nor Ron even a glance. Her mind was in turmoil and she had no idea what to do about her predicament. Both her friends kept giving her glances, and she could feel them looking at her. It was almost enough to make her scream.

"Hi Won-won!" Lavender called out from across the room. Hermione scowled, slammed her cup of juice on the table, stood up and stormed out. She could hear Ron and Harry talking.

"Blimey! What's _her_ problem?" Ron's voice followed her out.

Hermione kept walking until she found herself standing on the roofed bridge she and her friends had stood often enough. As it was still breakfast-time, she was alone. It suited her fine. She wanted, _needed_, to be alone. She had no idea what to do, especially since last night, when she had kissed Harry. _Kissed_! What _had_ she been thinking? She let out a long groan and leaned against the railing, looking out over the lake in the valley.

"What's eating you?" She screamed in shock when she heard those words. Turning around she saw a bewildered Harry standing there.

"GOD! You scared me!" she exclaimed, before turning back. "What're you doing here?"

"I'm worried about you. What's troubling you? Is it Lavender and Ron?" The question made Hermione giggle. Poor Harry. He means so well, but he has no clue.

"No. I couldn't care less about them. I… just have a lot to think about, 's all."

"Wanna share? Maybe I can help?" he was now leaning against the railing next to her, so close that their shoulders were touching.

"That's the problem…" she muttered.

"What?"

"Nothing! It's just that it's something I need to sort through by myself." She gave him a brave smile, and by the look he gave her, she knew that she wasn't fooling him with the fake bravado. "Please?"

"Alright. Just remember, you can always talk to me about anything." He gave her a hug and turned, walking away. She almost called him back, wanting nothing more than feel his arms around her again. But instead she watching him walk away, leaving her alone to her thoughts.

She managed to avoid Harry most of the day and the next as well, except for the time during classes. Even then she somehow managed not to spend too much time with him, and as soon as class was over she would be out of the room and appear only in time for the next one.

She knew that it made everyone, including Harry and Ron, wonder what she was up to. Truth be told, she wasn't up to anything. She usually huddled somewhere out of sight, her mind working in overdrive trying to figure out what she was going to do.

It continued the same way until she went out for a walk in the evening. Turning round a corner she ran straight into the one person she had been avoiding. Harry Potter. Quickly she turned and was about to run when his hand grabbed her arm, stopping her dead in her tracks.

"Wait!" he called out. "Please talk to me, Hermione!"

"I… I can't!"

He pulled her arm and she turned around to face him, her eyes focused on the floor, avoiding looking at him. "Why not? What have I done?"

"Please?"

"I won't let you go until we've talked. I can't see you go on like this."

She made another attempt to run away, but Harry was faster than she was, and she suddenly found herself in a tight hug, her face pressed against his shoulder. "Please, talk to me, Hermione. I don't wanna see you hurt."

She just put her arms around him to, buried her face deeper into his shoulder and began crying. And she continued to cry for a long time. She could feel his left arm holding her tightly, his right stroking her hair softly. He didn't say anything, just letting her cry out in his arms. Finally she stopped, no more tears would come. She pulled slightly away and he let go of her. "Thank you," she said softly and then looked into his eyes. "Thank you."

"I'll always be there, you know. No matter what." He looked so concerned, so worried, that it broke her heart.

"I know. But I can't tell you, not now."

"I understand. Whenever you're ready." She nodded, and gave him a small smile. "Let's get back." And together they walked back to the Gryffindor's dorm.

The walk back to their common room was done in silence, neither of them feeling the need to talk. But they were walking close, occasionally their hands would bump into each other. Just before the last corner, Hermione took hold of his hand and stopped, as did Harry. And then she leaned into him and gave him a soft kiss. With a small, shy smile she let go of his hand and ran to the painting of the Fat Lady and disappeared into the common room, leaving a shocked and bewildered Harry behind.

As she entered the common room, she saw that it was crowded with students everywhere. The looked up as she entered, some of them greeted her with a wave or a nod of the head. Instead of joining any of them she just hurried up to her dorm room, doing her best not to turn crimson. She had just kissed Harry Potter. AGAIN! And this time he was awake.

"Merlin's beard!" she groaned and threw herself onto her bed, burying her face into her pillows. How was she going to face him now? What was he going to think of her? He's most likely angry, or disgusted. Why did she let her impulse win over reason? Why had she acted so hasty and kissed him? It had been bad enough that she had kissed him while he slept, but while he was awake? She spent the better part of the evening there, lying on her bed, ignoring her roommates as they got into bed. Just after midnight, Hermione got out of bed and changed into her sleeping-clothes, the same as the night before but with a Gryffindor Quidditch team T-shirt instead. It was two sizes too big but comfortable.

She grabbed her book and walked downstairs, wanting nothing more than to cuddle up on the couch in front of the fire, take her mind off the problem she was having and read for a little while. That was her plan. And as she had descended down the stairs, her plan crumbled. Sitting on the couch, gazing into the fire, was Harry. He had, at least, been gazing into the fire, but as he had heard her come down the stairs he had looked up and saw her. Her heart skipped a beat when she saw him, and another when she saw that he had seen her.

"I.. I.." Oh great, Granger! Now is the one time you can't talk?

"Mind if we talk?" Harry's voice sounded strange, almost grave. She swallowed hard and nodded. She made her way over to the couch and sat down next to him, her legs tight together and her hands clenched on top of her knees. Her eyes were focused upon them. Her entire body was so tense and rigid with anxiety, as if relaxing would cause her to faint.

"About earlier…" he began slowly.

"I'm so sorry! I don't know what came over me. I didn't mean to do it, I swear!" Hermione rambled, her eyes not shut close, fighting back tears. "I mean, I did want to, but I didn't mean to it to happen. I'm so s…" she was cut off by his lips pressing against his, softly, warm. She hadn't even noticed when he had put a finger under her chin and lifted her head up. Her eyes fluttered open in shock, and then she melted into the kiss, returning it. Her heart was fluttering, and her entire body seemed ablaze with fire. She turned and threw her arms around Harry's neck and pushed against him until she was lying on top of him. She could feel his arms, his strong arms, encircling her waist and holding her firmly.

Finally they came up for air, and Hermione looked down and into his blue eyes. She looked so nervous, so uncertain. He smiled up at her warmly, his right hand coming up and stroking her blushing cheek.

"I love you, Hermione."

"Oh, Harry!" she exclaimed and kissed him again, hard. Tears were running down her face and dropping on his. Her lips parted and her tongue hungrily licked his lips and they opened as well. There they were, best friends, lying in each other's embrace, snogging the hell out of each other. And Hermione was happy, beyond happy. She had just heard him say those words she had been dreaming about. Those words she had never thought he would say to her.

They came up for air again, and she smiled at him, tears still streaming down her face. "I love you too, Harry Potter. I love you too."

The next evening, The three friends were sitting in the common room, studying. Ron sat on the floor in front of the couch trying to read as many books as he could at the same time. Harry was sitting in the couch reading his Potions book, while Hermione was lying on the couch with her feet planted in the lap of her boyfriend, also reading a book. She smiled when she felt a hand upon her foot and purred when Harry began massaging it.

"Hey you two! I'm all happy for you both, but can you please stop making her purr? I need to study!" Ron complained.

"Sorry." Hermione giggled. She turned around on the couch and before putting her head onto Harry's lap and continue reading, she gave him a soft and wet kiss. "I love you."

"I love you too."

"OY! GUYS!" Ron bellowed.

The End


End file.
